Chapter 1
Cheating Before the Wedding?
Emma squeezed her eyes shut against the sunlight stabbing through the window. She frowned, threw one hand over her face, and mumbled, “Where are the curtains? Why didn’t you close them?”
“Didn’t get around to it.”
The low, sleepy voice beside her made Emma groan.
“Then get up and close them, please. It’s so bright. I’m not awake yet.”
Instead, the blanket suddenly came flying over both of their heads.
Emma smiled beneath it, satisfied.
“Much better.”
“You must be exhausted after last night.” The sleepy voice beside her softened into something almost kittenish. “Why don’t we sleep a little longer, Em?”
Em?
The name echoed through Emma’s foggy mind.
Stephen doesn’t call me Em.
Only one person did.
Arian.
Emma’s eyes snapped open.
Light filtered through the blanket. Lying inches from her was a face she knew far too well.
Thick lashes.
A straight, delicate nose.
Those familiar lips.
That familiar face.
Arian West.
“AAAAAAAAAH!”
“AHHH! What happened?!”
Emma shot upright so violently that the man beside her nearly rolled off the bed.
“Arian West?!”
She yanked the blanket against her chest, her mind racing as she took in the room around her.
“What are you doing here?! Why are we in the same bed? Did we…?”
She forced herself to breathe and looked around frantically.
The room was a mess. Clothes were scattered across the floor. Pillows were tossed aside.
Then her gaze landed on the nightstand on Arian’s side of the bed.
“What do you mean?”
Arian rubbed his ear, wincing at the volume of her scream. His eyes followed hers toward the nightstand.
Three small, flat packages sat among the clutter.
Arian paused.
Oh.
He suddenly understood what she was thinking.
A mischievous smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
“Don’t tell me you have no memory of what happened last night.”
Emma stared at him.
His hair was a complete mess. His face still carried the softness of sleep, and faint pink scratches marked his bare shoulders.
Her brain seemed to short-circuit.
She remembered nothing.
Absolutely nothing.
But the evidence in front of her seemed to be screaming one undeniable fact.
Emma Young, you cheated on your fiancé.
“Oh my God.”
Emma scrambled for the clothes scattered across the floor.
“What happened? I was drunk. I don’t remember anything. We didn’t… right?”
She disappeared into the bathroom, took off Arian’s T-shirt, and quickly changed back into her white dress before emerging with her clothes clutched against her body.
“Why were you even there last night? I had my bachelorette party! Why did you take me back to your apartment?”
Arian had gotten dressed too. He rubbed his temples, clearly suffering from the same hangover.
“We were all at Tristen’s karaoke place. You seriously don’t remember?”
“Karaoke…”
Emma squeezed her eyes shut.
A few blurry images surfaced.
Music.
Drinks.
Chloe laughing.
Someone screaming into a microphone.
Then nothing.
“Maybe a little.”
She looked at him desperately.
“But what happened after that?”
Arian gave her a reassuring little smile.
“Don’t worry, Em. At least we were prepared…”
Emma stared at the three packages.
Three?
Oh, God.
She cleared her throat.
“Ari…”
He looked at her.
“You’re like my little brother. I mean… I’ve always thought of you that way.”
Something flickered across Arian’s expression.
Emma hurried on.
“Everyone was drunk. I was drunk. Whatever happened last night, it was a mistake. We just forget about it, okay? Nobody can ever know about this.”
“Okay.”
His answer was quiet.
For half a second, Emma thought she saw something dark pass through his eyes.
Then it was gone.
“Deal?”
“Deal.”
“I’m really sorry.”
Emma gave him an awkward pat on the shoulder, grabbed her purse, and hurried out of Arian’s apartment without looking back.
Walking down the street, Emma mentally called herself every horrible name she could think of.
How could she have done something like this?
She was twenty-nine years old.
She had spent twenty-nine years being responsible, careful, almost painfully well-behaved.
And now, three days before her wedding, she had apparently managed to create the biggest stain on her entire life.
All because of alcohol.
Stupid alcohol.
Stupid blackout.
Stupid, stupid night.
Her phone vibrated.
Chloe’s name appeared on the screen.
Emma took a breath before answering.
“Hey, you.”
“Hey, disaster woman,” Chloe said. “How’d you sleep?”
Emma hesitated.
“Do you remember who took me home last night?”
“Absolutely not. I don’t even know who took me home.”
Chloe groaned.
“We were all completely destroyed. Tristen pulled out some champagne later that night, and that stuff was lethal.”
“Right. Yeah. Totally.”
Emma felt a wave of relief.
If Chloe didn’t remember, maybe nobody did.
“What about Rachel and Nina?”
“Same story. I called both of them earlier. Neither answered. They’re probably still unconscious.”
Then Chloe’s voice brightened.
“Oh! Wedding dress fitting this afternoon. Your alterations are done!”
“Right. Okay. I’ll go home and change first, then meet you.”
“You’re not home?”
Emma froze.
“Uh…”
“You went out this morning?”
“Yeah! Just for a little while.”
She forced a laugh.
“See you soon!”
She hung up before Chloe could ask anything else.
Back home, Emma changed and met Chloe at the bridal shop.
The shop was unusually crowded. A promotion was running, drawing in more customers than normal.
The moment Emma stepped out in her wedding dress, she stared at her reflection.
For a few seconds, everything else disappeared.
The white dress.
The veil.
The woman staring back at her.
She looked like a bride.
A real bride.
Chloe stepped back and smiled.
“This is it. Perfect.”
She looked Emma up and down.
“Stephen is going to lose his mind when he sees you. You look like an actual angel.”
Angel.
The word hit Emma straight in the chest.
She nearly stumbled stepping off the platform.
“Yeah…”
She laughed awkwardly.
“Stephen always says I dress too casually.”
“So what? Comfortable is good!”
Chloe adjusted the skirt.
“What does he want you to wear every day? A pencil skirt and heels like every Wall Street executive?”
Emma smiled.
She and Chloe worked together in theater. They spent their days rehearsing, performing, running backstage, and living in comfortable clothes whenever they weren’t onstage.
Emma barely wore makeup unless she had to.
Chloe gave the skirt one final adjustment.
“I guarantee Stephen is going to cry when he sees you walking down that aisle.”
“I hope so.”
Emma looked at herself one more time.
Two years with Stephen flashed through her mind.
Two years of dates.
Arguments.
Laughter.
The proposal.
The wedding plans.
She was really getting married.
Hey, Emma Young.
You’re about to become someone’s wife.
Are you ready?
⸻
September 21st, 2023
8:30 p.m.
Emma showered, climbed into bed, then Stephen called.
“Hey, sweetheart.”
“Are you home?”
“No, I am still working. Just finished a meeting. How was last night?”
Emma’s stomach tightened.
“I didn’t get drunk. Didn’t black out. I just came home and slept forever.”
She laughed awkwardly.
“Haha.”
“Good.”
Stephen sounded relieved.
“Sweetheart, we’re getting married in three days.”
“I know.”
Emma smiled despite herself.
“I’m excited.”
“Tomorrow is your turn to relax. I’m going out with the guys for my bachelor party.”
“Have fun,” Emma said. “But don’t drink too much. I don’t want you showing up to our wedding hungover.”
Stephen laughed.
“Don’t worry. We’re just going to the wine bar we always go to. A few drinks, some food. I wouldn’t do anything stupid this close to the wedding.”
Emma smiled wryly.
“That makes me feel better.”
“Good. I’ll see you at the wedding.”
“Okay.”
“Goodnight, sweetheart.”
“Goodnight.”
The call ended.
Emma lay back against her pillow.
Then Arian’s face appeared in her mind.
She forced her eyes shut.
No.
The face remained.
Those lashes.
That sleepy expression.
Those pink scratches across his skin.
“I’m losing my mind.”
Emma grabbed a melatonin from the nightstand, swallowed it, and pulled the blankets over herself.
She was going to sleep.
She was going to wake up.
And none of this would matter anymore.
Emma woke naturally the next afternoon.
She stretched lazily.
The hangover was completely gone.
She felt fantastic.
She grabbed her phone.
September 20th, 2023
2:30 p.m.
Emma frowned.
September 20th?
She blinked.
Maybe she was still half asleep.
She walked into the bathroom and turned on her electric toothbrush.
Her phone vibrated on the nightstand.
Rachel was calling.
Emma answered.
It wasn’t Rachel’s face that appeared.
It was a group video call.
Nina appeared first.
“Good afternoon, our beautiful bride-to-be!”
Chloe’s face popped onto the screen.
“Finally awake, you disaster!”
Rachel smiled.
“Are you ready to party tonight?”
Emma stared at the three women.
“Party?”
Chloe’s eyes widened.
“Oh my God. Your bachelorette party!”
Rachel laughed.
“Emma, stop messing with us.”
Nina shook her head.
“She just woke up. Give her a minute.”
Emma stared at the screen and her brain got fuzzy.
Something was wrong.
The bachelorette party wasn’t tonight.
It had already happened.
Yesterday.
She checked her phone again.
September 20th, 2023.
Her calendar showed:
Bachelorette Party — GO WILD
Emma didn’t believe what she saw for a second.
She checked her messages.
No record of her call with Stephen.
No evidence of yesterday’s events.
No evidence of Arian.
Nothing.
“Holy shit.”
Nina leaned toward the camera.
“What?”
“What happened?”
“Emma?”
Emma let out an incredulous gasp.
“I had the craziest dream.”
All three women simultaneously rolled their eyes.
“Give me thirty minutes,” Emma said. “Four o’clock. Once Upon a Time in Midtown.”
She hung up.
Emma opened her closet.
A white puff-sleeved dress caught her eye.
Perfect.
She changed, slipped into a pair of heels, pulled her hair into a playful high ponytail, and, for once, actually put on makeup.
Tonight was her last night as a single woman.
She might as well look the part.
When Emma stepped out of her apartment, she waited for the elevator.
Three elevators.
Two were occupied by residents moving in or out.
Of course.
Emma sighed.
She wasn’t even that high up.
Maybe she could just take the stairs.
She turned toward the emergency stairwell.
Ding.
The elevator doors opened behind her.
Emma spun around and hurried inside.
Mrs. Carter from upstairs smiled at her.
“That dress is beautiful!”
“Thank you!”
Mrs. Carter looked at her phone and said, “Looks like there’s about a sixty percent chance of rain today. You should take an umbrella.”
“Oh, I’m okay. I’ll just get an Uber.”
There was no way she was going back upstairs.
Outside the building, Emma stopped.
A tiny toy poodle was sitting quietly near the entrance.
Her heart melted instantly.
“Oh my goodness. Who’s this little baby?”
She crouched down.
“Where’s your mommy? Huh? Why are you all by yourself?”
The dog happily let Emma pick her up.
She checked the collar and called the number.
A few minutes later, the owner came running from the neighboring building.
“Cupcake!”
The woman nearly burst into tears.
“Oh my God! Mommy thought she’d lost you!”
Emma laughed as she handed the dog back.
“I’m glad you found her.”
Her Uber arrived right on time.
Emma climbed into the back seat and immediately wrinkled her nose.
The car smelled strongly of perfume.
“Sorry, but do you mind if I open the window?”
She rolled it down.
The driver laughed apologetically.
“Sorry about that. I smoke, and I try not to bother passengers, but that air freshener spilled earlier.”
The driver reached into the glove compartment and pulled out a half-empty bottle.
“See? That’s what it is.”
Emma took it from him.
“I’ll close it for you. Keep your eyes on the road.”
She tightened the cap and handed it back to the driver.
It was a little dark-blue bottle shaped almost like a miniature Dior perfume bottle.
Something about it looked strangely familiar.
Emma frowned.
But the thought disappeared as the car pulled up to the restaurant.
Once Upon a Time
Emma looked up at the sign.
“Yep. This is it.”
She pushed open the heavy glass door.
The smell of the food immediately hit her.
Her stomach growled.
She was starving.
The hostess looked up.
“Hi! Do you have a reservation or—”
She stopped.
Her eyes widened.
“You’re… you’re…”
Emma waited patiently.
“You’re from the theater!”
The girl suddenly snapped her fingers.
“Garden Among the City! You’re Emma Young!”
Her face lit up.
“Oh my God! You look even prettier in person!”
Emma laughed.
“Thank you for recognizing me.”
The girl looked embarrassed.
“I’ve seen your show, but you’re so far away onstage. And the photos don’t really do you justice.”
Emma smiled.
“That’s really sweet of you.”
“Could I get your autograph?”
The girl suddenly looked around.
“No paper. No pen. Oh my God.”
Emma laughed.
“How about a selfie?”
“Yes!”
The hostess nearly cried from happiness.
Emma took the photo with her, then followed her to a table by the window.
One by one, the other three women arrived.
Chloe sat down first.
“So. Are we ready?”
“For what?”
“Tonight.”
Chloe immediately began outlining plans for drinking games, challenges, embarrassing stories, and punishments.
Rachel looked horrified.
“Chloe, Emma is getting married. Don’t destroy her before the wedding.”
“I have to make sure she gets one last taste of freedom!”
“Please don’t make it sound like marriage is prison.”
“Marriage isn’t prison,” Chloe said. “It’s just…”
She raised an eyebrow.
“You know.”
Rachel threw a piece of bread at her.
“Chloe!”
Emma laughed.
The conversation continued, but Chloe eventually grew serious.
“Emma, I’m not joking. Stephen proposed very suddenly. You were so excited that you basically went straight into wedding planning.”
Emma’s smile faded slightly.
“I know.”
“I just don’t want you getting married because your parents are pressuring you or because you think you’re supposed to at thirty.”
Emma looked at her friend.
“I know what you’re saying, Chloe.”
She smiled gently.
“But I really do want to marry him.”
“Stephen works a lot. He’s not exactly the most affectionate person in the world, but he’s good to me.”
“I think I’m happy.”
“Exactly!” Nina said, finally joining the conversation between bites of food. “Our girl is happy. That’s all that matters.”
Emma wrapped an arm around Nina.
“My Nina always supports me.”
Chloe rolled her eyes.
“You three are impossible.”
Emma lifted her glass.
“I’m going to be happy. So let’s drink to that.”
“Cheers!”
Four glasses clinked.
Then again.
And again.
And again.
Emma got drunk.
The lights inside the private karaoke room flashed in every direction.
Emma stood on the couch beside Chloe, screaming their way through “Last Friday Night.”
Rachel sat nearby laughing.
Nina was eating fruit.
The door opened.
Tristen walked in.
He took one look at the chaos.
Nothing.
No reaction whatsoever.
He had clearly seen this kind of craziness many times before.
He walked directly to the karaoke machine and paused the song.
“Hey! Who did that?”
Emma climbed off the couch.
Then she saw a cake being wheeled inside.
A giant bottle of champagne sat beside it, a sparkler blazing from the top.
Tristen grinned.
“Ladies! Tonight, we are wishing you a fantastic bachelorette party—and wishing my best friend Arian a happy birthday!”
Emma blinked.
“Whose birthday?”
“My birthday.”
Arian stepped out from behind Tristen.
Emma froze.
The other three women immediately broke into matching smiles.
Apparently, a handsome young man walking into the room was enough to make all three of them light up.
Emma stared at Arian.
Then remembered her dream.
Her expression changed instantly.
She climbed down from the couch, smoothed her dress, and fixed her hair.
She quickly slipped back into her normal, well-behaved self.
“I’ve known you forever,” Emma said as she walked toward him. “How did I forget your birthday?”
She reached up and ran her fingers through his hair.
She had been doing that since she was sixteen and Arian was twelve. Except every year, she had to reach a little higher.
Tonight, even in heels, she had to rise onto her toes.
Emma suddenly realized something.
Arian had grown up.
“Oh!”
She lost her balance.
Arian caught her by the waist.
For one brief second, they froze.
Emma felt a shiver run through her entire body.
Arian’s hands remained at her waist.
Their eyes met.
Then Tristen loudly cleared his throat.
“Okay, people! Midnight is coming. Champagne, candles, wishes! Let’s go!”
The rest of the group joined in.
The bachelorette party reached its peak.
“Come on, Arian. Make a wish!”
“And Emma, you get one too!”
Emma paused.
Why not?
She folded her hands.
The candlelight flickered in front of her.
Her friends surrounded her.
Music.
Laughter.
Drinks.
People she loved.
For one brief moment, life felt completely perfect.
Emma closed her eyes.
I wish I could always be this happy.
The Next Morning
Emma’s head was pounding.
She squeezed her eyes shut against the sunlight.
“Where are the curtains? Why didn’t you close them?”
“Didn’t get around to it.”
Emma froze.
That voice.
“Hmm?”
“Em… let’s sleep a little longer.”
Her eyes flew open.
“AHHHHH! What the hell?!”
“Why did you kick me?!”
“Arian West!”
Emma sat bolt upright.
“Why are you in my bed again?!”
“What do you mean, again?”
Arian was sprawled on the floor, looking up at her in complete innocence.
Emma clutched the blanket around herself.
Then she looked down.
Arian’s T-shirt.
Her breath caught.
The same room.
The same bed.
The same face.
But this time, she remembered some of it.
The restaurant.
The karaoke.
Arian’s birthday.
The champagne.
The candles.
Her mind raced.
How did she get to Arian’s apartment again?
Emma stared at Arian in absolute horror.
“What the hell is happening?”
